Aftermath
by Ui
Summary: While Hibiki and Fuuko travel to recruit male teachers, Akira relects on why Fuuko is much better off with Hibiki than with him. Akira finds the answer to why he lost Fuuko to Hibiki.
1. Burma

Aftermath

In the country of Myanmar that was formerly called Burma, there was a man with a long hair tied in a ponytail, wandering across the outskirts of a rural town. He remembered that it had been a year since he had left the Seitow Sannomiya Academy. He had posed as a woman in order to get a teaching job. He had met many young fresh but angst-ridden minds like Fuuko Kuzuha who had believed in him. No…...Fuuko was the first student to believe in the male Hibiki as a true teacher. Not only that but she was also **ever** his first student.

After Hibiki had unofficially resigned from his teaching job and returned to his parents in Tokyo, he decided to do some travels across the world. He had traveled to South America, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, Israel, etc. in six months. Since all the other countries he traveled to didn't speak Japanese, Hibiki had to communicate in English, which was one of the five international languages. Fortunately, unlike many other Japanese, he commanded a competent fluency in the English language, owing to months of surfing the net and communicating with English speakers on English-speaking community forums and the main Yahoo and Google search engines rather than going to Yahoo Japan and Google Japan.

He had made it a rule to search and read reliable information about the culture, people and government of a country he was planning to visit and then be well-prepared for it before he would go there, otherwise he'd face greater possibility of danger in not being familiar with cultural behaviors of each society.

He had read the recent Time magazine article about the government corruption and poverty in Myanmar but what it said could hardly compare to what he had witnessed. He was more than shocked at the terrible living conditions of those poor people, not to mention their scrawny physiques and hopeless expressions.

Most of them don't even speak English, so Hibiki had to study Burmese language diligently. He wished to help those people but he also knew there was very little he can do for them. Besides he couldn't help the whole population. He decided to stay out of others' affairs but his humanitarian instincts got the better of him.

One day, he ended up getting in trouble for striking down a military senior officer who was bullying a child. Before he was beaten by the officer's men and dragged to jail, he managed to catch a breath enough to hand his cellphone to the boy whom he saved and tell him to contact Ruru to rescue him.

Cradling his cellphone, the startled boy asked Hibiki, what his name was. The man replied in Burmese with a terrible but comprehensible accent. "Tell her it's Hibiki Amawa and he needs help fast.", as he was thrown into the prison wagon which then scooted away.

The Burmese boy stared at the cellphone as if it were a fancy device. Of course, it was the first time he ever had seen a cellphone in his poverty-ridden life. The grateful child decided to follow the stranger's instructions but the problem was he didn't know how to contact Ruru, or whoever the person was. So he tried everything he could think of and see on the phone. Confused, he pushed every button, not only but back and forth. As the strange characters appeared on the text screen. "These must be English words," he commented. Although he has no fluency in English, he could recognize those characters anywhere since he saw them marked on many foreign products that were brought to his village. He then saw the letters "R-U-R-U". That must be the name the stranger mentioned. Fidgeting with the buttons, he managed to click on the name. A second later, he heard a loud, vibrational buzz and next an old lady's face appeared on the tiny monitor screen of the cellphone. But as the old lady's eyes stare at him, her expression of irritation instantly changed to surprise.

Since the boy didn't recognize Japanese, let alone understand any of it, he didn't at all understand her Japanese words, "You're not Amawa?" He wondered what those words meant. Ignoring her strange language, he just said in Burmese, "Mister Stranger saved me from bad guys. He asked me to call you. Now you must save him." The strange old lady narrowed her eyes and frowned at the boy from the screen. Suddenly he heard the unfamiliar words again and it sounds like "Oh, well, wait. I'll get my universal translator." He wondered about her alien sounds again. A moment later he was surprised to hear Burmese words coming from the old lady. "Miss, you speak Burmese?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, boy. I do, thanks to my custom-made universal translator," the old lady said. "Now who are you? And how did you get the cellphone?'

'My name is Sun Noong," he responded and then told her about the events that transpired. After he's done with his story, she replied with a stern tone, "I see, boy. What are they going to do with him?"

"As usual, they're going to execute him, ma'am."

"When?"

"Usually, they give a prisoner three days to live before the execution. That's the typical penalty for anyone who offends a military officer."

"Where are you now? What town?"

"In the town of Rangakan," the boy said.

"Where is the guy who saved your skin?"

"He's probably sent to the Anhwar prison about a kilometer from this town,"

"Then I'd better hurry doing something. Bye," came her reply before the screen went blank.

He stared at the empty monitor screen as he had no idea about it. He wouldn't know if the old lady could rescue his doomed savior since the Burmese military have many men and guns. But there was one thing he knew for sure. This cell phone could bring a lot of fortune. At first he wanted to make profit from selling it but changed his mind and kept it in case the stranger would manage to escape. He didn't know why but he felt a hunch that the man will definitely escape.

Back in Japan

Disconnecting the cell phone, Ru Ru pondered about the options. She knew that even she and her two idiotic residents couldn't get through unknown numbers of soldiers loaded with rifles alone in order to rescue that equally idiotic Amawa. So she decided to call for extra help. She knew who would risk their lives for Amawa. With a few touches on her cell phone again, she started to make a few calls.

She dryly, said "Hello, Kuzuha-chan. Listen. Your sensei is in trouble and needs help from us. Get everyone from your school and bring them to the inn now. Kuzuha-chan, I know you want to know but it's better that I'll explain it to you and everyone else when you arrive here. I'm waiting for you. Ruru out."

To be continued.


	2. Return to Japan

Chapter 2

Three days had passed since Ruru received a call from a young Burmese boy.

"Are you sure this is the correct town of Rangakan?" Fuuko asked. She was standing on the ground inside a desolate town along with Ruru, Morikoji, Toufukoji and the rest of the school gang who voluntarily came to Myanmar in spite of Ruru's warnings that they would encounter danger. 'I can see why those kids want to come to rescue Amawa but I can't believe Morikoji and Toufukoji would also volunteer. I didn't think those perverts would risk their lives for him.' Ruru thought.

"I still can't believe these human beings are living in such a place like this. It's hardly fit for pigs to live," Aoki interrupted, staring in disgust at these flimsy, dirty, terrible-looking townhouses. "Yeah, even a garbage dump looks better than these houses," Shyoichi agreed with equal astonishment.

Ignoring the boys' comments, Ruru craned her head and looked up at the brown-haired girl. "Of course, Fuuko-chan, even though these Burmese maps are unreliable, do you not think that I would count on my custom-made cell phone signal tracker?"

"What if that boy who contacted you might have taken it out of town?" Miko protested.

"No, Miko-chan, that is not a factor. This device was designed to track a cell phone's last known signal but not the cell phone itself. My tracker merely picked the location of that cell phone's last signal."

Fuuko leaned forward with her eyes wide, understanding what the landlady was implying. "You mean we still haven't found out where the boy was living but rather the location where the signal was sent to you?"

The landlady nodded. Fuuko cried in despair. "It took us three days to look for this town. Three days! Hibiki-sensei is going to be executed today!"

"Hold on, the sun hasn't even set yet today, which means Hibiki may still be alive." Ruru assured the younger girl.

"Why did we bother to rely on old vehicles, bumpy roads and unreliable road maps? We could have followed the cell phone signal to the source instead of these maps."

"The cell phone signal tracker needed a map to point us to the location but any Burmese road map was not downloaded into its data so it only uses the Japan's map of Myanmar instead which does not include obscure towns or roads," the old woman pointed.

Putting a hand on his forehead, Morikoji groaned, "What are we gonna do?"

"Simple. I'll call the boy again, assuming he still has the cell phone." Ruru pulled her cell phone from her pocket and punched buttons. A moment later, a ringing sound was heard and a boy's voice followed.

"Who is it?" the boy's face appeared on the cell phone's screen. "Oh, it's you, Miss granny."

"Where are you now?" Ruru inquired. The boy told her that he was in his home with his family and asked where she is now. Smiling and using her translator, the old midget said, "No, it's not necessary. We'll come to your house right now."

"Did you say 'we', Miss?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, I brought company."

"But you don't know where my house is," he pointed.

"Now we do, thanks to my cell phone signal tracker," she countered.

"Your what?" The boy blinked, not understanding what that word meant even though it sounded Burmese to him.

"Never mind, boy," she sighed. "What's your name?"

"Ang Su. My name is Ang Su."

"Good. Please stay there at your home. We'll come there." Then she deactivated the cell phone. Then she checked her tracker again and announced "That signal came from the direction of north.

"Then let's go there," said Fujio. Nodding in agreement, the gang headed for the source of the signal together.

Several minutes later, the group stood in front of this small flimsy two-story bamboo-made house with a roof made just of straw. Ruru figured there were at least two rooms on the second level and another two rooms on the first level. "Is this the house where the boy lives?" Seiko asked. Ruru nodded at the dark-haired girl.

"Ok, so who's going to knock first ?" Miko sighed. Ruru stepped forward and knocked on the door. A few seconds later, as the door opened by itself, a skinny woman in mid-30's appeared in front of the gang.

Looking from the right to the left then to bottom, the woman was startled to see that there were one elderly dwarfish woman, two men and several teenagers, dressed in casual, clean untorn, hygienic clothes unlike those usual ragged, dirty clothes which the Burmese villagers including herself were wearing. She spoke in Burmese. "Um, who are you?"

Ruru was about to respond but was interrupted by the boy's voice coming from behind the woman. "Hey, mama. I know that old woman. I've seen her face on this strange cell phone."

"Your universal translator really works. We can understand every word in their native language," Morikoji commented.

"You're amazing as ever, Ruru-san," exclaimed. "We can hear them speaking in Japanese," added Fuuko, sounding astounded.

The woman was surprised to hear those Burmese words from those strangers. "I thought you were foreigners, judging by your fancy clothes." Unbeknownst to the woman, her statement belied the fact that the strangers were only wearing modest clothing.

"Our clothes are hardly fancy, ma'am," Akira corrected. "At least not by our country's standards," Fujio added with a frown, staring at the woman's ragged, soiled yellow dress.

"By the way, who are those people, Ang? What do they want from us?" the woman asked her son.

"Well, I don't know the rest of those guys but I do know this old woman. She's a friend of the stranger who saved me and she is probably here to save him," he said.

"That's right, Ang," Ruru confirmed. "So where is the Anhwar prison where our friend was held at?"

"It's about a kilometer from here. In the north direction, ma'am."

"Thanks, Ang." Ruru said. "Has our friend Amawa been executed?"

Ang shook his head. "No, he will be executed at the sunset," he replied.

"That means we have two hours left before his undeserving execution," the elderly landlady said.

"And then we still can save Hibiki-sensei when we have the chance," Fuuko exclaimed with hope in her voice.

"Thanks for the info, Ang. We'd better go off." Ruru excused herself and her younger companions. They started to walk in the direction of north.

"So what's the plan, Landlady-san?" Toufukoji inquired while walking with the others.

"Plan?" Seiko was puzzled as she continued her walking.

"What he means is we need a plan," Aoki explained, fully understanding the nature of the older man's question. "We junior high students can't just barge into a prison, fight armed soldiers and free our teacher without getting slaughtered. So we must have a plan."

"Yes but that is why I still question whether it is a good idea or not to go overseas to rescue Hibiki-sensei from bad soldiers without even consulting our parents," Seiko said.

"Are you kidding, Seiko-chan? If we told our parents, they would never let us, even if they understood our wishes," Shyoichi argued. "What parent would not be concerned about letting their children face an unknown danger?" Fuuko reminded him.

"Landlady-san, have you thought of a plan," Morikoji repeated Toufukoji's plan.

"Sure I do, but I need your full cooperation," she answered. "All of you."

Fuuko declared, "I'll cooperate with you because I have faith in your plan, whatever it is."

"I'm with her, Ruru-san," Akira said, "But first, you have to tell us what your plan is and I'll consider agreeing to your plan."

"I'll also agree to it when I think that is a good plan in your opinion," Fujio added.

"Then you'll all agree as soon as I tell you." The elderly midget smiled.

In Anhwar prison, nearly two hours later.

Hibiki Amawa was sitting on the floor of his damp, unsanitary cell which was small enough to be a telephone booth for three days. He still hadn't shaved his recently grown beard or eaten anything since he was thrown into prison. He still awaited his fate although he had hopes that the boy contacted Ruru.

The Japanese man heard the cell door swing. As he looked up, he saw two Burmese prison guards stand in front of him. "It's time for your execution," the guard said in Burmese, which was a language Hibiki had yet to understand so he still had no idea what he was saying. He wished there was a Burmese prison guard who could speak English.

Seeing Hibiki's confusion, the guard made a gesture by waving his hand to indicate that he was telling him to stand up. Hibiki understood the gesture and stood up. Then the other guard handcuffed him and led him out of the cell on the way outside.

While Hibiki was walking outside, he wondered what these guys had planned to do with him until he saw the guillotine surrounded by at least thirty soldiers including the officer who he offended. He knew that his suspicions from three days ago were right. He had suspected that he was going to die.

On his way to the guillotine, Hibiki noticed that the officer was smirking, obviously taking pleasure in witnessing his death.

Calmly, he went up the stairs to the guillotine but anxiously prayed that Ruru would come to rescue him, assuming the boy did contact her. He still even didn't give up hope when the guards made him kneel and stuck his head through the gap between the guillotine's wooden boards.

He heard the executioner shout something in Burmese but he didn't need to be fluent in Burmese to know what his words meant. He was sure the executioner was calling for his death. He quietly closed his eyes, awaiting his death.

Suddenly, he heard an explosion coming from the left of his side. More explosions followed from every direction, causing the soldiers to scatter in panic

He opened his eyes again and saw a glider with a familiar figure on its steel bar hovering in the sky straight at Hibiki's guillotine. As he realized that was Ruru's doing, he felt a surge of relief through his body. Ruru pointed her grenade launcher at the blade above Hibiki's head and fired. The shot knocked the blade off the guillotine yards away.

He switched his attention from the sky to the surroundings on the ground again. He saw that the smoke from the explosions surrounded many of the panic-stricken soldiers and obviously obscured their view. However, as Hibiki observed closer, the smoke did more than that. The smoke is also tear gas and has rendered most of them unconscious.

He saw some more familiar figures coming from the smoke and shooting the soldiers with stun guns. At first he thought faces of Fuuko, Fujio, Akira and other kids, Morikoji and Toufukoji were his imagination but in horror, he realized he wasn't imagining things.

"Oh, Kami-sama. What was Baa-chan thinking, dragging kids--my own students into this dangerous operation?" he wondered, being flabbergasted. Baa-chan was Hibiki's nickname for the landlady Ruru.

Ruru's glider finally settled on the ground. Then the old midget disengaged herself and went to the guillotine platform. Hibiki got up as the landlady unlocked the wooden boards.

"I appreciate the rescue, Baa-chan and I understand you can involve Morikoji and Toufukoji. After all they are men, but why did you drag those kids into here?"

"Do you really think just two men and I can attack a heavily guarded prison and take out a hundred armed guards at once, even with my exotic weapons?"

"Well, I suppose not," Hibiki said, rubbing his hands. All of a sudden, the youthful teacher remembered Fuuko was among his rescuers. He scanned the surroundings again and spotted Fuuko nervously holding her stun rifle. He observed that Fuuko appeared very nervous with that rifle. But he could hardly be surprised with it. He always thought

She was gentle and hardly aggressive even when she pushed him away when she noticed him wear a bra a year ago.

"Excuse me, Amawa but I got to help kids subdue the guards," Ruru said, sprinting away from the guillotine platform.

He looked back at Fuuko again. But he noticed a conscious soldier a few meters from him pointing his pistol at her. Propelled by his concern for her safety, he instinctively jumped from the platform and ran towards the soldier's back, shouting Fuuko's surname. She heard her teacher's scream. Unfortunately so did the soldier, who whirled around and fired a couple of bullets into Hibiki's chest. The long-haired teacher collapsed on the spot.

"HIBIKI-SENSEI!" Fuuko screamed, rashly shot stun pellets into the soldier's back and head, rendering him conscious.

The last thing the wounded teacher saw was Fuuko running towards him before the darkness swept over his eyes.

Later, as he opened his eyes and awoke again, he saw Fuuko's worried but gentle face staring at him. "Thank Kami-sami you're awake and well," the girl cried, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Shaking the doziness, he scanned the surroundings again and saw Ruru, Mori, Toufu and the rest of the gang huddled around him. He remembered he was shot. Then he looked at his chest, which was bandaged.

Before he could ask, Ruru said, "I personally removed the bullets through surgery and Fuuko-chan bandaged your wound."

"I see, Baa-chan," he said. "Are we still at the prison?"

"Yeah. We've taken out all of the guards. They were really such a pathetic army." Ruru said with her eyes closed.

"Are you all right, sensei?" Fuuko asked.

"I'm fine."

"Then please come with us back to Japan," she sobbed, her tears flowing down her cheeks. "I want you there at our school again. No, I need you there. I can't bear knowing you wandering in some dangerous country ran by a tyrannical government and get killed there."

"Kuzuha-chan," Hibiki uttered, staring at her tear-flown face.

"Please come back with me." Fuuko begged. "You promised you'd be back to our school again, didn't you? I've waited for a year and you almost died in a foreign country."

"Of course, I will keep my promise with you all and come back," Hibiki asserted. He turned to Ruru again. "Baa-chan, did the boy contact you?"

"Yeah, he did."

"Thank goodness he did it," he sighed. Then he asked, "We can at least repay the favor by

Taking the boy and his family to Japan or to a better country. He doesn't deserve to stay in this terrible land. He deserves a reward, after all. "

"I'd have no trouble convincing the immigration authorities to accept the boy and his family. It'd take some time to teach them Japanese but I think we can manage that."

"Great. Then let's go." Hibiki said as Fuuko helped him stand on his feet. He rested on her shoulder and started to walk. Everyone started to head for home.

Back in Tokyo.

He still had to help the Burmese boy and his family with Ruru's assistance. Mori and Toufu returned ahead to the Inn. Hibiki managed to persuade Fuuko and other kids to go ahead back to the Seitow academy and wait for his return.

After Hibiki and Ruru made sure the family adjusted to living in Japan , she went ahead in order to check on the guys' behavior. Hibiki decided to return to his parents' house, do some small talk with them and collect his belongings again.

Then he paid a train ticket and climbed into the train which was headed for the region where Seitow Sannomiya Academy was located at.

At 8 pm, Hibiki standing on the street gazed at the private school building after he had arrived in a taxicab from the train station. He came straight here from his four-hour journey.

While strolling towards the Baa's Inn, he also thought about other students such as Fujio Himejima, Miko Umeda, Seiko, Akira Fukae, Aoki Kyosuke and Shyoichi Iwaya. He remembered about the principal and vice-principal Kyoto, too with a reasonably understandable dread.

Finally arriving at the inn, he knocked on the door. He waited for four minutes until the door opened. Then he saw Ruru who didn't seem surprised to see him here as if she had been expecting him.

"Hello, Hibiki Amawa." the old midget woman said dryly. Hibiki smiled, closed his eyes for a moment and gave a hearty chuckle. "Hello, Baa-chan. It is good to see you." Ruru shook her head but before she turned around "Dispense with the pleasantries and come in." she bluntly responded.

He entered inside the inn only to be greeted by two overjoyed men. Morikoji draped an arm around Hibiki's shoulder and tussled his hair. "Long time no see, Hibiki." Toufukoji went to Hibiki's other side and greeted warmly "Welcome back, Hibiki."

"So where is my dog, Kurage?" Hibiki asked.

"Oh, he was now food a year ago. He was kind of yummy," she licked her lips.

"Y-you didn't," he gasped outrageously. Suddenly he heard a familiar dog bark behind him. As he turned around, his dog ran towards him. He embraced Kurage joyously.

"Of course not, Amawa. I figured Kurage might still be worth more alive than dead," she said.

"By the way, Are you really going to go back to teaching at school?" Mori asked Hibiki.

"Actually, I'd have to deal with both the principal and vice-principal to get my job back."

"Don't worry about it. In fact, talked with the illustrious principal." Ruru said. She has already agreed to it. She is expecting you to resume your teaching duties."

"She did?"

"Yes. The director, students, parents and the faculty have also voted to welcome you back. The only one who still objected to it is the bitchy vice-principal." the old midget stated.

"I see." Hibiki was not surprised by the vice-principal's objections but he wondered what had changed the equally man-hating principal's mind.

"By the way, there is someone waiting for you in your room," Ruru said as she excused herself and left. The two perverted guys disappeared into their rooms, as well. Hibiki was startled by Ruru's statement but he had a feeling who his visitor was.

"Excuse me, Kurage. Sorry, boy but I've got to see someone." The dog, seeming to understand the meaning of Hibiki's words, scooted away.

At first he hurried on the way to his room, but as he stopped, he hesitated to touch the doorknob for a few seconds. He gulped and then turned the knob, opening the door.

He saw Fuuko dressed in her school uniform and sitting on the floor. His room was still lit.

"It's good to see you again, Hibiki-sensei," the brown-haired girl said.

"You, too, Kuzuha-chan," Hibiki nodded wryly.

"Please call me Fuuko from now on, will you? You don't have to be so formal with those surnames," she said, standing up.

"Er, sure, Fuuko-chan." Hibiki stroked his hair. Then the 23-year old man and the younger girl stopped talking for a minute. Finally, both of them started to say, "um."

They were startled by each other's exact expression, but Fuuko said "you go first,"

"No, you go first," Hibiki shook his head, his eyes half-closed.

"Okay," she agreed. "Hey, sensei, do you know I turned 15 two months ago?"

"I figured you'd be 15 because it has been a whole year since I left the school when you were still 14," he chuckled. Then he stopped speaking and scrutinized the young and physically mature 15 year old body that belonged to his student. Back in Burma and at airport, he was too preoccupied to even notice how Fuuko's body had grown up in one year. But now he had the opportunity to study her hourglass figure standing right in front of him.

Hibiki noticed she had grown up about two inches taller and had developed curves. But he also noticed the size of her developing bosom. They weren't big when he laid his eyes on her a year ago.

__

'Oh, Kami-sama, She has developed into a beautiful woman,' he thought.

"Do you think I've grown up?" she asked, noticing his stare and guessing his thoughts.

"Yes, You've grown up quite a bit," Hibiki said sheepishly. _'But you still have to grow up more,' _he silently added.

"So, Hibiki-sensei, what are we going to do now," she asked, wondering whether Hibiki wanted to kiss her and get laid with her or not. To her surprise, he said, "Let's go out for a walk. Maybe fresh air and a view of the landscape will be nice,"

"Sure, sensei." the short brown-haired girl smiled.

Outside the inn, the teacher and student walked together until they stopped at a road near their school.

"Say, Fuuko-chan," Hibiki began.

"Yes?" Fuuko turned to the right and looked up at him quizzically.

"Do you remember the times we spent together as teacher and student?" he queried.

"Of course, they were happy times. I sure had a lot of fun. That was all the more reason I wanted to see you again," she said firmly. Hibiki swore he saw her eyes shine when she spoke.

"I see. I'd be happy to be your teacher again," he said, closing his eyes and smiling at her.

"Umm…I've been wanting to tell you something since you left school last year," Fuuko said. Then she hesitated, awaiting Hibiki's response. But he said nothing.

Then she continued, "About my feelings. Remembering all the time I spent with you made me realize that….I love you, Hibiki-sensei!"

Hibiki nodded and gave her a wide smile, "Yes, but you were very young and you didn't exactly understand your own feelings."

"Eh! What do you mean," she blurted.

"When I was cross-dressed as a woman while being your teacher, you only saw me as a surrogate mother," he explained. "I reminded you of your deceased mother. What you wanted was not a lesbian girlfriend but rather a mother figure whom you needed badly."

"Why do you say such things? It's not funny at all, sensei. No one can replace my mom." Fuuko sounded offended.

"I am serious. Can you picture the female Hibiki-sensei as your mother?"

"But…sensei,"

"Try to close your eyes, think slowly and compare your mother to me. But imagine me in my womanly disguise instead of my real self," he insisted.

Okay," she resigned as she followed his instructions. She closed her eyes and conjured separate images of her mother and the female Hibiki in her mind. She mixed two images and surprisingly, they blended into one another and superimposed over each other. The female Hibiki replaced her mother. In next moment, the female Hibiki was replaced by her mother again. Again, the image of her mother was replaced by the image of the female Hibiki again. The same flashes repeated again and again. She slowly opened her eyes again and then turned to stare at him.

"You are right, sensei," she admitted. Hibiki nodded warmly at her.

"Um, what about you? Are your feelings for me those of a father?"

He hesitated for a moment until he finally said, "No, Fuuko-chan. I tried to picture you as a daughter, but I honestly can't imagine it. I was kind of attracted to you,"

"Oh, I see. So you like me, sensei?"

"Yes, I do, even though you are 8 years younger than me," But let me ask you, "have you any feelings for the male Hibiki? The real me?"

Raising her eyebrows, she looked carefully and closely at the face of the male Hibiki and was surprised to see how much he looked different from his female self. She also realized that she was still infatuated with the female Hibiki even though she knew the teacher and the bra-man were the same. She pondered, _'Can I have different feelings for the real Hibiki Amawa?'_

She said "Well, I don't know much about the male Hibiki but if the female Hibiki is the real Hibiki, then it means I like you, right? Bra-man, you and the female teacher are the same person, isn't it right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, give me time to get to know the masculine side of you and maybe I'll get to know my feelings," she continued. Then she added, "if I'm mature enough to understand them."

"I'm glad to hear that. Let's begin as a man and a girl, not a woman and a girl," Hibiki smiled at Fuuko. She smiled back, rested her head on his right arm and wrapped the lower part of his arm around both of her arms.

"The night is late. Shall I accompany you to your dorm?" Hibiki said, looking down at the 15-year old girl's innocent face.

"Sure." They were looking forward to his return to Seitow Sannomiya Academy the next day. While neither of them could wait for it, they wondered what would happen to their relationship in the future.


	3. Journey for Hibiki and Fuuko

IMMSE chapter 3

As Hibiki had escorted Fuuko to her dormitory tonight, both of them were fairly surprised to see the pudgy dormitory manager was there at the gate. "Here you are, Kuzuha-chan." she scowled at the younger girl. Then she switched her gaze at the long-haired man. "Oh, you must be the male Amawa Hibiki-san who had not only cross-dressed as a woman and broke the Seito Sannomiya's traditional rules but also changed the school policy forever. I believe we've met before." She did not address him as "sensei". Which means she hadn't recognized him as a teacher.

"Huh, what are you talki--oh!" He remembered that he had met the manager while she was disguised as a woman and invited to look after the girls due to the peeping toms' intruders' unauthorized entry into the campus. It turned out, much to his disappointment that his two Gouchisou dorm mates were the real culprits, especially after he had vigilantly defended their innocence against Fujio's accusations. He sighed regretfully at the reminiscence.

The manager saw his chagrined expression and gave only a quirky smile . "Yes, that's the first time I met you without your disguise. I admit, if you hadn't been with Kuzuha-chan, I wouldn't recognize you. After all, I heard that you two are rather intimately close." Hibiki felt heat come to his cheeks but Fuuko blushed even redder than he.

"Excuse us, Amawa-san. I've got to bring Kuzuha-chan back to the dorm." the long-haired teacher noticed that she sounded grave. "You sound troubled, manager-san. What happened?"

"Well, The sudden disappearances of Kuzuha-chan and some other students three days ago had caused the faculty a lot of worry. Anyway, all of the missing students except Kuzuha until now have suddenly returned here this afternoon. And as the vice-principal caught ahold of the news about them, she personally came to the dormitory immediately and demanded an explanation that why a whole class full of underage school students had went missing for past three days. She sure was furious."

Hibiki wondered why Kuzuha didn't return to the dormitory afternoon. Then he realized that she must have stayed at the inn, waiting for him. "The vice-principal is at the dormitory?" he exclaimed, his eyes widening.

The manager nodded. "She is still interrogating Kuzuha's classmates in the lobby but they refused to give a clear answer even though she threatened them with expulsion proposals." She turned to Fuuko . "Please come with me, Kuzuha-chan." Her tone sounded very serious to the girl and the teacher.

As the short-haired girl began to follow the older woman, Hibiki interrupted. "Wait, manager-san, Please let me enter the dormitory and talk with the vice-principal."

The manager turned around again to look him in the eye and then shrugged. "You are not a teacher at Seito Sannomiya anymore, Amawa-san. So I'm afraid you have no say in this school matter."

"But even so, I still worked there. I am still their teacher as far as I'm concerned. That makes a difference." She scrutinized his serious, resolute expression for a moment.

"All right, if you insist."

"Thank you, manager-san."

Fuuko stared at him in bewilderment for obviously speaking on her and her friends' behalf. She wondered what he could do. As they went into the dormitory together, Hibiki and the chestnut-haired 15-year old noticed the vice-principal glaring at each student in line.

"So how long are you kids going to withhold an explanation from me?" the blonde vice-principal scolded angrily at the young teenagers.

"Excuse me, Miss vice-principal. Kuzuha-chan and Amawa-san are here," the manager announced.

"AMAWA? HERE?" the infuriated blonde woman thundered so loudly everyone covered their ears. Turning around, she shot a fiery glare at the man and pointed a finger at him. "What the hell are you doing here?" Hibiki swore he saw such visibly burst veins on her forehead as well as the fires in her eyes.

"Well, Miss vice-principal…you see…" he began. But she interrupted in a scornful tone, "Let me guess…you must be the reason why the whole class full of high school freshmen has disappeared for three days?"

"Uh…"

"Tell me, Amawa, what have you done that would make underage students leave the school for past three days without an explanation?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes at him. "Tell me or I will report it to the kids' parents."

"Hey, you can't do that!" the red-haired Miho protested nervously. Other kids nodded in agreement out of fear that their folks would get angry at them if they ever find out they flew to another country and risked their lives to rescue their teacher from armed soldiers.

"That won't be necessary," came a familiar, elderly voice from the doorway behind Hibiki and Fuuko.

"Madam Principal!" Hibiki and the Vice-principal exclaimed in unison, both looking at her. They were surprised to notice Ruru standing alongside the principal. "Baa-chan?" the long-haired man blurted.

"What does that mean, Madam principal?" the vice-principal blurted.

"It means I don't think we need to pursue this matter any further," the elder said softly. "The children are safe and all accounted for. That is all what matters."

"With all respect, madam, I disagree," the vice-principal argued. "This sudden event still warrants an investigation. We need to uncover the reason so it won't happen again."

"Well, I already determined the reason and have deemed it justifiable. Therefore, these students are excused."

"WHAT!" the vice-principal was totally bewildered by her boss' revelation.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, ma'am."

"Then you are done with the students. Your investigation is now over," said the principal. The vice-principal resigned to her boss' order. With a final scornful glare at Hibiki, she exited, sulking quietly but indignantly.

"Amawa-sensei?" the principal called. Hibiki was startled by her addressing him with that honorific. He didn't expect her to fully recognize him as a teacher.

"Yes, madam principal?"

"You will report to my office on tomorrow morning. And then you must show yourself at the formal welcome ceremony where the students will attend. You will resume your duties as these students' both homeroom teacher and gym teacher."

"And you'll be returning there as your true self, not as a woman," Ruru added with a smile.

Everyone gasped in wide-eyed astonishment at the principal and Ruru's announcements. "Hibiki-sensei," a totally bewildered Fuuko muttered quietly and wanted to congratulate him aloud but waited for him to respond to this announcement. Hibiki blinked in surprise and stared in absolute disbelief at the principal. "Are you seriously rehiring me?" He remembered all too well that she had explicit disdain for male teachers.

"Is there a reason you are doubting my sincerity, Amawa-sensei?"

"Well, You had a problem with hiring male teachers," he began while being unnerved by the principal's questioning stare.

"Had being the operative word. Past tense. Period."

Gaping in total bewilderment at the formerly man-hating principal, Hibiki wondered what had changed her mind but he hesitated to ask yet.

"I see. I'll be there tomorrow," was all he could say instead.

The kids cheered jubilantly but not as much as Fuuko. The brown-haired girl rushed to her teacher's side, hugged him tightly and cried, "Welcome back to the Seito Sannomiya, Hibiki-sensei."

"Fuuko-chan," he whispered softly looking down at her. She looked back gradually at him with a smile.

"Ahem," Ruru coughed. Both Hibiki and Fuuko quizzically looked at the old lady, then looked past her and saw the snickering kids watching them. Miho and some other kids snickered. Fujio and a few others giggled. Aoki and Shyoichi chuckled. The other kids murmured approvingly. Only Akira still wore an emotionless mask. Crimson color flamed ablaze on Fuuko's cheeks. Embarrassed, she released her teacher and turned a couple feet away. Hibiki was blushing equally red as well, looking away from curious stares.

Turning to look at the crowd again this time, Fuuko looked at Akira first. She wondered if Akira still had feelings. Then she saw Fujio looking straight at her with a concerned face.

All of a sudden, everyone turned to the source of clapping. The principal who clapped hands said, "Students, return to your rooms. That includes you especially, Kuzuha-san. If you have any word to say to our Amawa-sensei, please make it quick." Then as everyone bade each warm farewell and good luck to him and Fuuko smiled at him before the girls going upstairs inside and the boys going out of the girls' dormitory back to the guys' dormitory.

The principal turned to Amawa. "I'll be looking forward to your arrival tomorrow. We'll have an official welcome ceremony for Seito Sannomiya's first male teacher in 50 years."

"Let's go, Amawa." Ruru smirked. "You ought to sleep for tomorrow."

Hibiki nodded at the two elderly ladies and began to go outside with them. But something was wrong, he realized, as Ruru was taking the other way with the other elderly companion.

"Hey, Baa-chan. You're going the wrong way." he called, pointing to their inn building. "Gochisou is that way."

"I know, you idiot." she replied. "But the principal and I have lots of issues to discuss tonight. So we won't miss our chance." Hibiki was startled and he began to wonder if they had a history. Dismissing those thoughts aside, he went back to Gochisou, looking forward to tomorrow.

At the girls' dormitory.

Since it was not yet curfew time, Fujio, Miho and Seiko had plenty of opportune time to talk with Fuuko in her bedroom. Everyone was dressed in pajamas.

"Say, Fuuko-chan, what did you and Hibiki do tonight?" Miho pouted, sitting on a chair. Fujio stood, leaning against a wall. Seiko was standing on her feet. Fuuko was sitting on her bed. "Wh-what?" Fuuko stuttered, hugging a pillow to herself.

"C'mon, Fuuko-chan," the short flame-haired girl said in mock indignation, crossing her arms. "You and sensei were outside while we were facing the music from the vice-principal."

"Please, Miho-chan. Don't push Fuuko," interrupted Fujio.

"But I'm curious about what happened between them tonight." Miho feigned being hurt.

"Uh, Miho-chan has a point," agreed Seiko.

"If Fuuko doesn't want to talk about it, let her be," the brown-haired girl with ponytails argued, glaring at Miho.

"Nothing happened between him and me. We just talked. That's all," Fuuko blurted. All the 3 girls turned their heads at her. "Really? Honestly?" Miho inquired eagerly.

"Of course, Miho-chan."

"Then what did you two talk about, Fuuko-chan?"

Fuuko hesitated for a moment, then looked away to the right from three pairs of questioning eyes. "Miho Umeda, please!" Fujio scowled, shooting daggers again at her. Intimidated by her friend's glare, Miho, visibly having a big sweat drop on her forehead, sighed to Fuuko, "Well, if you don't want to talk about it, it's all right." Fuuko looked straight at her friends again. "Well, let's say, we had quite an interesting conversation."

"And?" prodded Miho.

"Can you three keep it a secret, please?" begged Fuuko.

"I promise," Miho swore with a wide grin. Seiko and Fujio also equally expressed their agreement to Fuuko. "Then let's do a pinky promise?" the girl requested. "Sure," her friends complied, and each of them linked her pinky finger with Fuuko's.

Fuuko gulped nervously, biting her lip but then felt relaxed. She pulled her knees against her chest and then began, "All right. Tonight I was waiting for sensei….." After she finished narrating the events, Seiko exclaimed, "Fuuko-chan, you love her as a mother figure?"

"And you're just content with your feelings?" Fujio was equally astounded, her eyes as big as saucers. "You're not going to make a move for him, are you?" she added with a sly grin. "Oh, no, of course not," she said openmouthed and agitatedly, waving her arms widely. "I'm still confused with my own feelings even though I realized what they truly are. I need time to sort my feelings. I'm just a fourteen-year old girl, after all."

"Yeah, you said you and Hibiki are working together on interacting with each other starting tomorrow to determine your final thoughts," Fujio cooed with a mock laugh.

"Interacting as just a teacher and a student," Fuuko replied sheepishly with a few small sweat drops on her head.

It was Miho's turn to ask the naïve teenager. "Once you'll find your own answer, then what will you do about your relationship with sensei?"

"Let's leave it to time to tell us, ok?"

"All right. I think we've asked enough," Miho chuckled. The two other girls nodded.

Seiko told Fuuko, "Best of luck with Hibiki-sensei, anyway."

"Fuuko-chan, Good luck, too." a smiling Fujio added. "Go for it," Miho cheered.

"Thanks, everyone. You're good friends," the short-haired girl smiled back warmly. "No need to thank us," Miho disagreed in a sincere tone. "You're a sweet, nice girl who deserves a boyfriend. Especially sensei." She flashed a two-thumbs up sign at her and winked. "Hey, I didn't say I wanted a boyfriend," Fuuko whined with a dropped jaw almost frantically.

"Besides, we all owe it to him for being a great teacher to us," Fujio agreed, also winking at her best friend. "See you tomorrow." Then the three teenage companions left. As Fuuko turned off the lights and lay down on her bed, she went to sleep, dreaming about her dearest teacher. A smile was formed on the sleeping girl's face.

Tomorrow morning

As Hibiki had arrived at the school, he went to the welcoming ceremony on time. He was wearing his formal attire of a white collared shirt, a red necktie, a matching brown jacket and pants. He was allowed to retain his bluish-black ponytail in spite of the school's strict dress code. Standing on the platform, he felt the intensity of the audience's two hundred pairs of bright adolescent eyes peering at him. The principal said to the adolescent audience full of vigor. "I'm sure most of you have remembered Amawa Hibiki-sensei last year. As for first-year students and transfer students, you may have not seen him before but you've no doubt heard him by reputation from your classmates and senpais. It is my pleasure to welcome the school's first official male teacher in its 50 years of time-honored history to join the faculty." Turning around to the left, she gestured to him to re-introduce himself to the young and still fresh minds who knew him and introduce himself to the even fresher ones who did not know him. Hibiki may have introduced himself here before but as a woman. This is the first time he had the opportunity to show his real self to them as a teacher.

Calmly, he announced in an eager tone, "Hello, students. My name is Amawa Hibiki. I am honored to return to the school as my real self, not a woman. I will be looking forward to teaching here starting today." He bowed in front of them and then got up. "Pleased to meet you all," he finished in a cheerful voice, raising his right arm in the mid-air. Everyone unanimously clapped their hands in a quick response. He responded to their applause with a broad smile before dashing off from the platform while noticing the vice-principal's menacingly sulky glare which made him quite nervous. As the principal concluded the welcoming ceremony, everyone quickly went back into the school.

Hibiki was mildly startled that the principal informed him that she was personally going to escort him to Fuuko's new classroom. He thought it was the vice-principal's job to usually escort and introduce new or returning teachers to their assigned classrooms. Reading the confusion on his face, she explained, "I don't think my vice-principal would be happy to do it, given her animosity towards you so I decided to take her place." She continued, "Let us go, Amawa-sensei. Kuzuha Fuuko and others are waiting for you." With the final word said, she produced what he could describe was an unpretentious smile. He accepted her gracious explanation and followed her on the way inside.

As the male teacher and his escort entered his new assigned classroom, he searched for Fuuko among many familiar faces and a few new ones first. While the principal was reintroducing him to the homeroom class, he got a better look at her there than he did at the welcome ceremony. What he noticed was that young girl didn't have a usual pink ribbon-like headband tied to the back of the head. Strange. Fuuko-chan always had a pink ribbon on her head. Concerned, he pondered why she had taken it off her head today? Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by the principal's continuous calling of his name. To Hibiki's chagrin, the principal saw where he was staring and commented with a laugh, "You have paid quite a lot of attention to Kuzuha-chan but I can't say it is a surprise." Fuuko's cheeks flushed as red as a beet and she looked away from the principal and Hibiki.

"Oh, well. I'll leave the rest to you," the principal told him, smiling and starting to walk out of there. Hibiki sighed quietly but went to start class in a professional way by first properly greeting the students and giving out seatwork for them. He tried his hardest not to look at Fuuko throughout the classtime.

Fuuko observed Hibiki almost tilt his head in her direction but turned away. Knowing that Hibiki must be struggling to control his affection, she looked down at her table and the seatwork on it, feeling gloomily.

"Kuzuha-chan." Fuuko raised her head to look at Hibiki who called her name. "Please come forward," he said. As the short-haired teenage girl obeyed his order, he then handed the assignments to her and told her to give them to her fellow classmates, one by one.

"Students, I expect you to submit your homework by tomorrow." Some of them groaned in resignation. Hardly anyone at all even feigned mock enthusiasm.

The freshly-rehired teacher announced, "Class time is over." Since this class ended at the start of lunchtime, everyone except Hibiki and Fuuko exited. While assembling his paperwork, he saw that the chestnut brown-haired teenager remained here alone.

"Do you have anything to ask, Fuuko-chan?"

"U-um, Hibiki-sensei….."

"Yes?"

"Well," she began nervously. Suddenly, an active loudspeaker in the classroom startled them. They heard the words through the loudspeaker. "Amawa-sensei, report to the principal's office at once."

"Fuuko-chan….I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Please go," hushed the chestnut-haired girl with a small smile. "Sensei, can I see you after school, please?"

He nodded at her. "Of course." he said before dashing out of the homeroom.

As the teacher arrived into the office and stood in front of the aged principal, she looked directly into his eyes and inquired passively, "Why did I call you here?"

"I have no idea, ma'am."

"Then allow me to tell you that I have a juicy assignment for you."

Hibiki quietly stared at her, baffled.

Smiling, the principal continued, "Let me start at the beginning. As you see, in five months since I decided to open available employment to male teachers, all I still have received are nothing but female applicants. We have yet to see male teacher come to apply for a job here. I even advertised the job openings for male teachers throughout the region and still no man came to apply."

She inhaled deeply. Then she continued again. "It is unacceptable. I strongly feel the school is more than ready to welcome new male teachers and I want to see good results from their interaction with students, if they should apply here.

"Therefore, I want you to recruit at least ten male teachers."

"Me?" Hibiki was totally exasperated.

"Yes, I want you to find ten good male teachers who will do their job for six months here," she explained slowly. "If even one of your recruits failed in their job to motivate the students to become better people in six months, then not only will you and your recruits be fired but also the school faculty employment will be closed to men forever."

"What?" Hibiki blurted, gaping at her.

"You once said men know love as well as women do?"

"Yes, I did, ma'am."

She said sternly, "Of course you have proved that you are a good teacher but even so, I cannot generalize male teachers because of the actions of only one.

"So I am not still convinced that other male teachers know a lot about love like you do unless I see with my own eyes that at least ten more male teachers who can do a splendid job at teaching at my school."

She narrowed her gaze at him, "Can you accept this assignment? Remember this is your responsibility to prove other men can be efficient teachers. And if you fail otherwise, you will be fired."

He slowly absorbed the full impact of the principal's words with understandable disbelief. "Yes, I accept," he asserted with certainty in his voice.

"Good. You just tell the volunteers that they will simply teach for six months. You also give each of them the school's offer of a monthly salary of 50,000 yen and a chance to transform Seito Sannomiya's young minds into the best, brightest and most ideal students in all of Japan in six months," came the Principal's response.

"Fifty thousand yen a month?" Hibiki shouted in disbelief. 50,000 yen was the equivalent to 500 U.S. dollars. "What teacher would work for such a lowly salary?"

"Any teacher who believe teaching is its own reward," she answered. "Any teacher who believes it is also a noble profession which is better rewarded by students' gratitude, not by money."

"But it is really hard to find a teacher who has that kind of thinking, much less a male one," he protested.

"My thoughts exactly, Amawa-sensei. You have to prove to me that other men in general know well about love as you do. Should your recruits fail their responsibilities, you and they all shall be dismissed from school permanently," she warned in a stern voice.

"B-bu-but….."

"Am I clear about it?"

"Yes, ma'am." He surrendered to resignation.

"Excellent. You will travel throughout all of Japan and scout each school on your way until you successfully get at least ten volunteers. In the meantime, your travel, food and hotel expenses will be covered by the school," she informed him. "Your trip will begin tomorrow. And your deadline is four weeks."

'Four weeks? It means I have only one month to find and recruit ten male teachers?' Hibiki thought.

She warned, "Remember, I want very competent male teachers, not bad ones. So don't pick them randomly. Just pick the best of the crop. I trust in your good judgment to deem them efficient and fit to teach at this prestigious school."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Furthermore, Fuuko Kuzuha will accompany you on your trip."

"Why is she coming with me?" he intoned aloud, his voice filled with pure quavering shock, his jaw dropping down.

"Two reasons. First, she was appointed class representative of your classroom. Secondly,

her job is to assist you in enlisting new male teachers. She tends to have such amply persuasive speeches which, I believe, are sufficient enough to pique the men's interest in applying here."

"Amply persuasive?" he choked, frowning.

"Remember it was Fuuko's speech that convinced the students, the parents and the faculty to support you and oppose the erstwhile plans to make the school an all-girls one?

"How could I forget such a moment? That was a pretty mature speech which she, for a fourteen-year old girl, had made."

"She spoke about you with convincing sincerity and sweet eloquence," she agreed. "And with a burning passion, I might add."

He shook his head.

"Amawa-sensei, I trust you won't object to my decision?"

"Are you comfortable with the idea of just me and Fuuko-chan together?"

"Absolutely."

"Then I have no objections."

"Then it's decided, Amawa-sensei," concluded the principal. Then she handed him a bundle of train tickets. "Here are your train tickets for each city in this country. Your first train starts out at 10 am in the tomorrow morning.

"Amawa-sensei, I have one more last-minute instruction."

"Yes?"

"Since Kuzuha-chan is going with you, I'll give her a leave of absence. But in the meantime, she has to make up for a month full of school so you have to tutor her in all subjects when you aren't spending time searching for ten volunteers. Understand?"

Looking up, Hibiki bit his lip and considered the amount of time to scout every single school and to tutor Fuuko-chan in just one month. He knew that it was going to be a very very very hectic month.

"Clear as crystal," came his gloomy response. She responded back, "You're dismissed, then."

Later, Hibiki completed his first day of work in a smooth manner, but he was still in a gloomy mood. As the school time had passed, he was in his new office, finishing arranging his train schedule. He was about to leave the office with his train tickets , he saw Fuuko-chan standing in front of him. She looked cheerful and cherubic as ever.

"Fuuko-chan…."

"Hibiki-sensei, I'm going on a little walk to the town. Care to join me?"

Fuuko's words sounded like an invitation.

"Where do you want to go?"

"I know of a good ramen restaurant in the town, sensei. You'll like it definitely."

"Fuuko-chan, if you want me to pay, I'd be happy to."

"I appreciate it. But since it's my treat, I'll pay instead."

"Sure, I'll go with you," Hibiki agreed gleefully. He felt his mood jump a bit higher.

"Then let's go together." The duo started embarking on their path to the town.

By the time they reached the town, Fuuko noticed the depressed expression on her teacher's face. To her, he looked quite down.

"Um, sensei?"

Hibiki turned his head to the right and down at his dear student with a quizzical look. "Yes, Fuuko-chan?"

"Uh, did something happen today?"

"Oh," Hibiki sighed. "It is a long story."

"We have lots of time for that."

"I think we'd better talk while we are at the restaurant."

She looked puzzled in response to his suggestion. The teacher chuckled. "Y'know, Fuuko-chan, it's not good to talk while walking."

"Oh you're right, I suppose,"

She suddenly stopped beside a nearby restaurant. "We are here, sensei."

"Okay, We'll order first. Then we'll chat before the dinner."

"Sounds fair, sensei. Let's go inside at once." Fuuko suddenly grabbed Hibiki's hand without warning and then pulled him inside. Sitting at a table, she ordered aloud with an energetic, cheerful voice. "Two bowls of beef ramen and two glasses of cold green tea, please."

"Coming, Fuuko-chan," responded the restaurant chef. Then he laughed at her, "It's good to see you again." He quickly filled the glasses with iced green tea with care and then served them to the two patrons.

"Fuuko-chan, I see you are a regular here," Hibiki remarked, then sipping his green tea. She nodded. "So tell me what happened today."

"I had a surprise discussion with the principal," he began. Fuuko listened carefully to his narrating of the conversation with the principal that had transpired today. While they were still having a talk, the chef had arrived in front of them and set the two Fuuko-ordered bowls of beef ramen on the table and cheerfully said, "Here you go. Please enjoy your meals." Then he bowed before returning to the counter. The girl began to eat her ramen as she asked her teacher to continue his story. Nodding, Hibiki began to eat his ramen and tell the details to her.

When he had finished his story, she exclaimed joyously, clapping her hands and her eyes glimmering like diamonds. "You and I going on a trip alone together? Wow! I think it's a swell idea."

The long-haired teacher choked on his drink. He coughed a few times. Recovering, he stared at his naïve student, dumbfounded. "You're not getting the point."

"Oh, yup, sensei, I'm getting the point." Her voice was full of ecstasy.

A big sweat drop appeared visibly on Hibiki's head. He groaned, giving Fuuko a sober look. "This isn't a honeymoon, kid. The point of our trip is to recruit ten male teachers, not to go as a couple."

"Say, you'll be tutoring me personally during the entire trip, right?"

"That's right."

"Have no worry then, sensei." The brown-haired girl thumped her fist on her own chest and then stretched her arm forward. She bellowed, "I will try my best and make sure I won't be a burden to you. I will also try my best to assist you in search for ten recruits."

"Your enthusiasm is overwhelming," Hibiki muttered with mock enthusiasm before drinking his green tea again. He licked his lips. "Again, this is such excellent ramen."

"I knew you'd like it," she smiled.

"By the way, I have noticed you aren't wearing your usual headband on your head today."

Fuuko smiled, blinking for a moment. "Oh, that I decided it was time to go for a little change of appearance to symbolize my womanhood."

"Symbolize your womanhood?" echoed Hibiki in puzzlement.

"That's right. I am now 15 years old. It's time that I became a young woman. These ribbon headbands are for girls." The girl's voice sounded serious to him. He turned his gaze away from Fuuko's face, shaking his head. 'A woman? I don't know. She may be physically mature, I mean she has grown a couple of feet taller and developed nice curves. But sexually mature? Perhaps. Emotionally mature? women have to be emotionally and mentally mature, not just sexually and physically mature.' He thought in frustration.

"You don't take me seriously?"

He waved his left hand. "It's not that. Um, your body have grown a lot but I am not ready to see you as a woman yet."

She fully absorbed the brunt of his frank comment but was still perplexed at what he meant. "Why?"

He slowly clarified. "You are physically mature, yes. Maybe sexually. But I can't determine your emotional maturity overnight, especially since I haven't seen you for a whole year until now.

"Besides you are also still my student and I am still your teacher," he finished. She was silent for the next few minutes, staring into her teacher's mesmerizing cerulean green orbs. He felt his beloved student's intense ruby-colored eyes pierce his own, as he was staring back into them as well.

"Are we just a teacher and student? But you said you like me. You said "Let's begin as a man and a girl. You told me that last night."

He looked down to avoid Fuuko's gaze. "What I mean by a man and girl is we are teacher and student, not lovers. Of course, I do like you. But that does not mean I can go out with you. I am neither allowed nor ready to have this kind of a commitment with an underage student of mine."

"I am fifteen years old. As a matter of fact, Japan's legal age of consent is thirteen years of age." The shocked girl's voice quavered.

"Didn't you hear the news that Japanese parliament recently had voted to raise the legal age to eighteen?"

"What!" came her shocked response.

He nodded. "The bill was passed a few months ago. Although it's not yet enforced, it is still technically a law." Fuuko gave a sad frown and stared at the table.

"Don't worry. I always will be at your side, even if I can't be your boyfriend."

She looked again into the older man's beautiful green eyes and at his sincerely smiling face as well.

"I do want you to be my girlfriend but in maybe next few years. Can you wait for me?"

"To wait three years for you…..that's a difficult commitment for me. I hate waiting to get the love I wanted."

"I know, but love is not about age or body but rather about who we are. If you wait patiently, then won't love be worth all the 3 years of waiting?"

Fuuko remained quiet for a minute, not tearing her eyes away from Hibiki's wonderful gaze. Then she finally raised her voice. "You're right," she declared. "I will wait three years for you, even though I am already a woman.."

"That's the spirit," applauded the long-haired young man approvingly.

"So we're just student and teacher, right?" Fuuko cried. Her teacher nodded. "That's right," he confirmed.

"I see. Then in the meantime, can you teach me about love?"

He sighed in mild frustration, his eyes closed. 'You are really stubborn, Fuuko-chan,' he thought. He patiently said, "Well, that kind of thing is beyond my level."

"Don't lie to me," she scolded. "You are a 23-year old man. You had to know a lot about between man and woman."

"Yeah, I do. But you're not supposed to learn that directly from an older man."

"So you think me as a kid?" Fuuko feigned very hurt, rubbing both hands against her eyes.

A dozen mini-sweatdrops formed on his head. "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt your feelings. It's just I don't want to take advantage of you."

"I know you won't. I trust you absolutely. I want to do it of my own will," she retorted assertively.

"Well, well," he sighed again.

"Ahem," interrupted the chef. Both of them turned to look directly at him standing near them. "Can you two lovebirds please leave somewhere and talk in private?"

The teacher and student turned around to look at their surroundings and were equally embarrassed to see customers exchanging whispers to each other, staring and giggling at them. Standing up at the same time as Hibiki did, Fuuko apologized to the chef with her crimson red cheeks. "Sorry, Seruta-san. We'll be going now." She bowed as she finished the last syllable of her final word. 'Pay, please." the chef said, chuckling at her.

The chef's merry laughs only made Fuuko's already blushing face even redder as she instantly handed him the money. "Oh, I'm sorry to make you embarrassed, Kuzuha-chan." hushed the apologetic chef. "I was laughing only because I haven't seen such a lovely couple in a long time."

"I see, Seruta-san.. Excuse us, please." She started to run away, tagging Hibiki with her.

"Where are we going?" Hibiki asked Fuuko.

"To the park, sensei," she answered with a merry laugh. "Where we can finish our conversation in a more private manner."

"All right, Fuuko-chan. But first, let go of my hand, so I can run properly."

"No way, sensei," the girl laughed again. "Your hand feels nice and warm to hold up although it's a bit coarse, so I can't resist holding on to it." She kept on clutching his hand tightly and tugging it as they both ran.

He realized that the young frilly girl was curious. "My hands are coarse because exercising and muscle training cause calluses on them," he explained.

"Oh, I see."

"But your hand is very smooth, soft and warm, Fuuko-chan," he commented in a sweet, soft voice. Fortunately for the girl, Hibiki was looking at her back instead of her face, he couldn't see her new blush which happened from listening to his compliments about her hand. But she still said nothing. They continued running until they reached the park. Then they both stopped to catch a breather.

"Sensei," Fuuko looked him up into the eye and called him. "Three years? Do you think it is okay for a girl to wait a long time for the love she wanted?"

Hibiki remembered that they were supposed to finish the conversation they had started back at the restaurant so he carefully thought of a compromise that both would agree. He looked at his student and said "Fuuko-chan, there is nothing wrong with a girl to receive the love early especially at a mature age,"

"Define mature age." The younger girl successfully had him cornered.

"Well, that would….er….." he croaked. "Ah….I admit you are quite mature, but you are still too young for me."

"Is the wide age gap too much for us?"

"That is not how either of us see it but the society would not see it the same way we do," admitted the 23-year old man.

Before the worried teenager could respond, he suggested, "I think we could reach a compromise."

Fuuko's ruby eyes widened. "A compromise? Do you think I can agree to whatever that would suit for you."

"No, for both of us," Hibiki corrected, shaking his head. Stepping forward, he placed both hands on the startled girl's shoulders. Fuuko wished she could feel the warmth and roughness of his hands through her clothed shoulders. "Sensei?" she blinked and gave a faint whisper.

She was completely taken by surprise when Hibiki held her tightly in his arms. She could feel her heart thumping hard as their chests were pressed flat against each other.

"Listen up, I can't promise we may be ready to go out together but I still can be with you. I always will be at your side and look after you. As your teacher, I also will guide you in the best direction," Hibiki vowed, vocalizing each word in his commanding tone right close to her right ear. Then he looked his student straight into the eye. "Isn't that enough for you?"

The innocent girl stood frozen for a moment, staring at Hibiki's mystifying, imposing cerulean green eyes, full of such graceful authority. "Yeah, sensei, your sweet words are enough for me," she said, a few tears coming from her tear ducts. "I am happy." Hibiki beamed a warm smile at her.

The tone of voice he used, the way he acts, the way he smiles and the way he looks at her, Fuuko knew he was still the female Hibiki she remembered. She realized that the female Hibiki was his real self all along and she liked the part about him.

Fuuko saw the sunset and exclaimed, "We've got to go back! We have to start packing right now."

"Packing?" he asked. Then he said, remembering about his trip, "You're right, our trip is tomorrow."

"Then let's go!" she bellowed out of joy. She began to run. Hibiki went after her, shouting, "Wait for me, Fuuko-chan!"

The crowd gave only one or two glances at an underage girl being followed by a grown up man but went on and minded their business as well.

Next morning

In the morning, Hibiki stood at the entrance of the Gouchisou Inn with one brown luggage beside him. He spotted the chestnut-haired girl coming with just a four-wheeled scarlet red luggage guided by her hand. "Is this one luggage of yours all?" he questioned her.

"Yup," came a cheerful response from her.

"Good to hear that," he said. "Shall we walk to the train station, then?"

"Yup." Fuuko flashed a thumbs-up sign to the 23-year old teacher.

"By the way, did you tell your friends about it?"

"Yup, last night."

"And?"

"They just wished me luck. that's all." Fuuko lied.

"Oh, I see. You have such great friends," he commented. The girl nodded. She was too embarrassed to admit that her friends had given quite a noisy response, plus a lot of teasing. Only Akira had remained quiet all the time, although he smiled a bit at hearing Fuuko's announcement. Noticing his silence, she had asked him if it bothered him. He had shaken his head calmly and insisted, "Absolutely not, Kuzuha. My feelings with you are a thing of the past. I think you are better off with Hibiki-sensei."

"Good luck, anyway. I hope everything will go for the better," Akira's tone had sounded genuinely sincere. Fuuko had said "I see."

"Don't worry, Fuuko-chan" Fujio had smiled at her best friend. "He's got another girl right now."

"Oh really?" she had blurted.

"Fujio, you're now his girlfriend?" Miho had chuckled.

"Himejima, Don't embarrass me like that," he had scolded. "Awwww, you look cute when you're angry," Fujio had giggled.

"I'm not angry." he had snapped, glaring at her.

"Whoa, be cool, Akira-kun. There's nothing wrong with having a girl," Aoki Kyosuke had laughed. "Aoki's right. I really envy you, actually." Shyoichi Iwaya had agreed.

Everyone had laughed and giggled. Then they wished her luck on being with her favorite teacher on their trip and bade her goodbyes. Thus ended Fuuko's flashback mode as she came back to paying attention to her surroundings. Since the train station was only quarter of a kilometer, there would be no problem for them to reach there by foot. As they had arrived at the station, they boarded the early morning train.

"Let's study in the meantime, sensei," said Fuuko.

"Eh?" The taller man looked at her.

"Remember, you have to tutor me so I'd make up for all this month's classes during my leave of absence."

"Oh, yes, I see. What subject shall we begin?"

"How about English?" suggested the 15-year old. "You speak English fluently, right?"

'That is true. My English still sucked, even after I graduated from college. But because I decided to see the world with my eyes and enrich my mind with my experiences with diverse world cultures, I needed to study English more intensely. If I didn't speak English well, I wouldn't be able to travel around the world in a smoother manner.' Hibiki silently thought to himself.

"Yeah, that's right, Fuuko-chan," he confirmed. "Let's start taking English lessons at once."

"All right, sensei. What is the word "respect", anyway?" queried the curious girl. Hibiki explained that the respect meant admiration or veneration for someone or something. He furthermore added that the respect is a verb as well as a noun.

"Wow, you're amazing," lauded Fuuko.

"No, not at all. English seemed a lot easier to memorize once you start conversing with native English speakers on the internet for several months," came a soft chuckle.

Fuuko stared at his green eyes.

He clarified. "I had to continue my conversations with them in order to improve my English."

"I see," she said. She pointed to an English sentence written in the Roman alphabet. "By the way, how do I conjugate the verb 'to respect'? Is it an irregular verb?"

"All person forms except the third person singular have the same conjugation as the infinitive form. It's a regular verb."

"I got it, sensei." Then as time went by, Hibiki and his student proceeded on studying together on the subject of English.

Back at Seito Sannomiya, 09:00 hours.

"You what?" The vice-principal screeched in livid shock, slamming her hands on her boss' table. She had wondered why Amawa and that girl Kuzuha are absent at school without her knowledge. She tried to squeeze answers out of the other students but, loyal to Amawa and Kuzuha, they refused to answer her questions. Now she knew about it and never expected that her boss would dare do something like that.

"I sent Amawa-sensei and Kuzuha-kun on a trip to recruit ten male teachers," repeated the principal dryly.

Hearing the older woman's response, the blonde vice-principal was completely aghast. She couldn't believe her ears. She yelled, without even realizing that she was being disrespectful to her superior. "Not only would you enlist men to teach at our esteemed school but you also sent a high school student to be **alone** together with that pervert?"

"First of all, if he was perverted, I would never entrust Kuzuha to his care at all but I believe in Amawa-sensei," the latter clarified. "Secondly, I have complete confidence that Kuzuha would somehow be able to contribute something to the success of Hibiki's assignment.

"Together, they would make a good team. The only thing left is the results, which I will look forward to next month."

"But…."

"Do not argue with me," The principal made her tone clear enough to make it sound like an order.

"Yes, ma'am," said the younger woman. "But may I ask where they are now?"

The principal cautioned. "I am afraid the information is classified, given your animosity towards Amawa-sensei, therefore you aren't privileged to know their whereabouts.

"Furthermore, you do not have the authority to interrogate the students."

Hearing the icy tone in other woman's voice, the vice-principal decided not to press this issue any further, so she stormed out of the office in frustration.

In the countryside

As the train stopped at a nearby town, they stepped on the platform from the train car. The teenage girl queried, "Now what do we do?"

"First, we book at a hotel, anyway."

"Does the school pay for your hotel expenses?"

"Yes, Fuuko-chan. Unfortunately, they gave me an amount barely enough to cover travel, hotel and food for a month."

"Sensei, what does that mean?"

"It means we have to book at a very cheap hotel in order to save our budget."

Fuuko hesitated for a moment, looking at Hibiki's face. Then she said cheerfully. "As long as I'm with you, any hotel is fine."

"Okay. Let's call a cab, then."

Both teacher and student went to a hotel and left their luggages there so they could begin their search around this town. Fortunately, this small town has a few schools, thus they had time to visit every school in one whole day. Unfortunately, their search bore no fruit, since all the male teachers whom they had interviewed declined their offer of a measly salary and a chance to make history as the first group of male teachers to apply at Seito Sannomiya academy. After all, they were more concerned about making money than making history.

As the two recruiters returned to their hotel, more or less happy. "I knew it. Not a single one of them would take our offer," the black-haired guy mumbled in frustration.

"Don't be so down," cheered Fuuko, patting on his arm. "We've only covered one town. For the time being, I'm sure we will definitely find at least one male teacher after traveling to five towns."

"More like twenty cities," he replied pessimistically. "It's possible that two or three male teachers would accept our enlistment, maybe even four. But not ten men. Unfortunately, ten teachers are precisely what the principal had demanded."

"Hey, sensei, don't give up on our search. There are still a lot more cities and towns where we'll find good volunteers," Fuuko argued. "I know there are a more teachers who know love like you."

"Really?" Hibiki gazed back and forth at her.

"Of course. But even so, you're a one of a kind teacher, because you, out of all teachers, have helped me, gave me confidence and taught me so many things. In other words, you're unique."

"And you're very special to me, as well."

"Oh, truly?" Fuuko's wide eyes gazed up at him.

"Oh, yes. You are my first student, after all." He beamed a sincere smile. "If it wasn't for your successful efforts to pass your first 50-meter dash, I would never get that job at school."

She waved both of her hands in embarrassment. "Oh, no. Sensei, you were the one who helped me run my first 50-meter dash."

She added. "Because of my 50-meter dash, I have found my self-confidence for the first time. You always were by my side, even though I had thought you were….um….." She was too embarrassed to finish her sentence.

"…a perverted queer?" Hibiki offered. The girl nodded slightly, looking guilty.

"Aw, don't feel guilty. It's all in the past." Hibiki chuckled at his student, patting her on the head.

"Y-y-yes, suh-sen-sensei," she gulped.

"Since we've already covered every school in this town, I think it's time to pack our luggages and board a train tomorrow."

"What will we do tonight?"

"It's still past 4:00 pm, Fuuko-chan. We have a lot to make tonight, starting with first our dinner and then our tutorial class."

"Okay."

Fuuko followed her teacher back into the hotel where they ate their dinner. As they returned to their single bedroom which he had been previously reluctant to book after learning that it was the only available room in the hotel, Hibiki started tutoring the attentive girl in every subject.

During the private tutorial, the black-haired man noticed Fuuko's lovey-dovey face plus bambi-like eyes. She looked like she was in a blissful dream. "You've been giving me such an oddly happy look. Is there something interesting in our lessons?"

"Eh, no!" The fifteen-year old was startled. "Sensei, it's just that I'm really happy that you're teaching me in all subjects all by yourself, not to mention you're pretty good at them."

"Only at half of them. I particularly dislike chemistry." She noticed a tint of exhaustion in his tone.

"Speaking of which, the only subject we've not covered yet is physical education," she told Hibiki.

"But it's now close to 10 pm and this hotel doesn't have a gym," he protested. "If you're telling me you'd do it outside, then forget it. It is very cold outside right now."

"Don't worry about me. I can handle it." She said while kneeling down besides her baggage and started to dig for her gym uniform inside it.

The older man started to argue but she interrupted him. "If we don't finish this Physical Education class, I will have to double my physical activities tomorrow in order to make up for it and it'll delay us even a bit longer. But there is still time to do P.E. class tonight."

Before he could say another word, she grabbed her gym outfit from the luggage and then ran into the bathroom, closing the door behind. He sighed in mild frustration. A minute later, Fuuko, wearing her t-shirt and bloomers, emerged out of the bathroom. She then sat down on the bed, putting on her ankle socks and her shoes.

"Let's go outside," bellowed the energetic teenager.

"All right. But should you catch a cold, we'll go back inside," he warned Fuuko.

"Sounds fair," she agreed, taking his hand in hers and taking both of them all the way out of the inn. When they both were outside, Fuuko commenced warm-up exercises. Hibiki had to help the girl a bit with some of her exercises which required a partner. After these warm-up exercises, she started jogging and the teacher tagged along. They made it to 19 laps so far.

As Hibiki noticed that while the girl slowed down her pacing, she had began to snivel, wrapping her arms around her chest, he declared, "Let's call it quits, before you'll catch a cold!"

"But, I still haven't finished my 20th lap," she pleaded. "Give me one more lap to complete, please!" Her sorrowful eyes really looked begging.

"All right, just one last lap, Fuuko-chan. And we'll go back inside,"

"Thanks!" She resumed her jogging but this time she ran faster than usual. In a few minutes she completed her twentieth lap. Then she hurriedly went back inside the inn with Hibiki following her.

Fuuko's body was shaking and she wrapped her chest with both arms. "I feel so cold," she quavered.

"Then let's take a bath, eh?"

"Together? In the same place?" she teased, looking up at him with a mischievous smirk.

He shook his head. "Absolutely not! We're going to separate baths."

She started to speak but he went ahead and reminded her that they were still teacher and student and he was not ready to enter such a premature relationship.

"That was the third time you have asked me to enter us into a premature relationship since our reunion," he added with a painful-sounding groan. "You sure are persistent."

"Premature!" the flabbergasted brown-haired teenager's ruby eyes widened. "Who was the one who tried to kiss me twice last year, once in the forest and then in the hospital?" she reminded.

Hibiki winced at hearing this adolescent girl's words. He remembered that he had leaned forward towards her face and had come close to kissing her twice. But the first attempt was interrupted by Ruru-san and the second one was interrupted by Akira's untimely arrival. The image of Fuuko sitting on Hibiki's hospital bed as well as that of pulling her face towards his were very vivid in his mind. He never forgot his guilt for taking advantage of her vulnerability like that.

"That was because I hadn't realized what I had done. I mean I was equally confused about how I feel for you as you were," he admitted.

"But do you really still want me?" she looked him in the eye. He was caught aback by her straightforward question. He then carefully considered about his own feelings towards his particular student.

He carefully chose his words. "I wouldn't exactly say I want you. Let's say I like you very much. And I don't mind if we go out as a couple but now is not the time."

Fuuko cast him a disappointed look with her sad eyes.

"Don't look at me like that." He turned away from her stare.

"I'm sorry but it's so like me,"

"Don't worry. That doesn't mean, as I have said before, we won't be a couple. We will become a couple when the time is right," hushed the green-eyed teacher.

"When will be the right time?" she inquired.

"When both of us are ready for a steady relationship and the long-term consequences with it."

"I am prepared for those kinds of long-term consequences," Fuuko declared. "I know what I do."

"Maybe but we don't have to rush like that."

"If you say so, sensei, I'll give us a bit of time."

"Bravo! I knew you'd realize that," he said, giving her an approving nod and a gentle smile. "Fuuko-chan, let's go take a nice hot relaxing bath before we'll eventually catch a cold."

"Ok, sensei." As they both went to their room and gathered their bathrobes, they went out again on their way to the gender-separated hot springs to bathe themselves in warm water.

Since their gender-segregated hot springs baths were separated by only a bamboo wall, they were close to each other.

"Can you hear me, sensei?" she called to Hibiki, who heard her voice behind him from the wall.

"Yes, I can hear you," he answered. "What is it?'

"Hmmm, this hot springs bath is soooooo relaxing! Wonderful! I haven't had a hot springs bath in years."

"Years, you say?"

He thought he heard sadness in Fuuko's voice. "Yeah, the last time I had a hot springs was with mom before she passed away."

Hibiki blinked. He remembered that she had told him her mother died when she was 6 years old.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Fuuko-chan. And you never went to a hot springs bath since then?"

"Nope. My dad is so busy working, he never took me to a hot springs bathhouse even on holidays. At dorms, we use showers instead of hot springs. Since my friends are a lot busy with other activities, I have little reason to spend my time alone in a hot springs bath."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Don't be sorry. I'm so happy that not only am I spending my time in a hot springs, but also I'm doing with you. This is the best idea for a first date I've had, " laughed Fuuko. "Thank you!'

"This is NOT a date!" groaned the teacher loudly, staring at the wall. Because of the wall, he couldn't see her.

The teenager giggled almost aloud, imagining her teacher having a headache behind her but she was wise not to say back.

"How long have we been in here?" asked Hibiki.

"I don't know, sensei. Maybe we've stayed or at least 40 to 50 minutes."

"Anyway, I feel kind of sleepy now. I'd better take my leave. Care to join me to our room?"

"Yes, sensei," came her response.

"Then let's go, Fuuko-chan."

At his call, both of them started to arise from the bath and then they went on their way together to the room. After getting dressed in their pajamas, Fuuko, while climbing on the bed, was surprised to see Hibiki place his blanket and pillow on the floor.

"Where are you sleeping, sensei?"

"On the floor, obviously," he replied as he began lying down on the hard ground. He had requested for a two-bed room when he learned that he could not request for two rooms because the hotel only had one available room but as the clerk had insisted, the only vacant room in the hotel is one single-bed room.

"But you don't have to sleep on the floor," protested the girl. "This bed is big enough for two of us."

"That's not the point, Fuuko-chan! You are a girl and I am a man. You are a student and I am a teacher," argued Hibiki.

"So?" she retorted, shocking Hibiki.

"So?" he blinked in the midst of her absurd response. "You don't realize that we aren't supposed to sleep together in the bed!"

"Why?" pouted Fuuko.

"Why?" he snapped softly and patiently. "What if I might take advantage of you? I'm a man!"

She countered "What's the difference when we are still in the same room, even though you wouldn't sleep in the same bed with me?

"Besides, we slept in the same bed together last year, didn't we?"

He stared at her in amazed silence. Then he responded, "Yeah we did but that was because your friends asked me to watch over you. I didn't have a choice in that matter."

"But sensei, you didn't take advantage of me, did you?"

"No, no, not at all." came his exasperated response.

"But you enjoyed being in the bed with me, didn't you? I'll bet you did," she smirked.

"Don't be ridiculous!" scoffed he, his cheeks flustered deeply crimson.

She snickered. "Come on, sensei. Don't lie. You did enjoy it, didn't you?"

He stared at his fifteen-year old student with his awed green eyes. "At first that was kind of awkward but it feels a bit….nice."

"Nice?" pouted she with a mock frown. "that's too passive to describe what you're feeling."

"But that was how I felt for a underage student at that time. Honestly!" he scowled.

"Underage student? Is that what you see me as? Not as a grown-up woman?" inquired the disappointed girl.

"Fuuko-chan, you ARE a underage student! That's the truth."

Fuuko then looked down at the floor in total silence for one minute. Hibiki looked at her with concern. All of a sudden, the student said, "But this time since our journey, we're not student and teacher. We are partners, trying to recruit male teachers for our school.

"In other words, we're colleagues this time," she concluded.

"Ooohhhh…Fuuko-chan," sighed he, his headache swelling and hitting him like a hammer.

Approaching the teacher, she suddenly grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him to herself and both of them fell back and forth on the bed.. She declared with a big smile. "Come on. Don't be shy, Hibiki-kun. Let's sleep together tonight." Her new form of address for him came as a big surprise, considering the gap in their education levels as well as their ages.

"But I might……." he began.

She interrupted. "You wouldn't. Hibiki-kun, I trust you."

"We've slept together once. We'll do it again tonight," she said judiciously, pinning him with both hands on the bed and she was on top of him, looking into his amazed eyes. "I missed that wonderful experience. Now I'm not missing it this time."

Hibiki decided not to object, knowing the futility of it too well. He said, "Okay, Fukko-chan."

"Great!" proclaimed the girl as she flipped over to the right beside Hibiki. And then she pulled the blanket over both of them. Stretching her arm forward, Fuuko reached for the only actively bright lamp and turned the light off and soon the darkness-engulfed room was only brightened by moonlight through the windows.

Fuuko gazed at the moon in the awe. "Look at that beautiful moonlight," she exclaimed.

Hibiki followed her gaze and agreed, "Yes, it is."

She turned back and forth to look her older companion. She whispered. "Let's sleep, okay?"

"Yeah,"

Fuuko smiled and closed her eyes as she hugged him tightly. "H-h-hey, Fuuko-chan, don't hug me like that," scolded he.

"But I always hugged either a pillow or teddy bear in my sleep. I need something to hug myself," explained she. "You're pretty warm and you smell nice." And she dozed off quietly, smiling. Hibiki rolled his eyes but did nothing to stop her. He passively accepted her embrace. As he stared at her peaceful and calm sleeping face. 'Oh, Kami-sama, this kid sure looks cute when she's sleeping,' he thought. 'This brings back memories.'

He switched his attention to the ceiling and wondered, 'will it be really okay to become Fuuko-chan's boyfriend? I like her and she likes me. But it's not up to us to decide that. The society will look down on this kind of relationship and doesn't care about either of our opinions. This is really a big obstacle for both of us and someday I'll find a way to make her happy without initiating such a forbidden love between an adult teacher and an underage student, right? Right? Who knows? ' Dismissing those thoughts, he closed his eyes and went to sleep, then.


	4. Akira's reflections REVISED

Chapter 4

It had been six days since a long-haired teacher and a short-haired student began embarking on their journey throughout the Japan and they traveled to seventeen cities or towns and found no voluntary recruit. On morning they now arrived at a town called Tomoeda. As they stepped on the platform from the train, Fuuko asked with a quite loud yawn, "Which schools should we start in this Tomoeda Town, sensei?"

"First, we start at the high schools and colleges, then the junior high ones and lastly the elementary ones," replied an exasperated Hibiki. "Fuuko-chan, you told me earlier that you have an aunt who is living in this town, so at first, we are gonna go to your aunt's house."

"Yeah, it'll save us a lot of hotel expenses," yawned she in agreement. The taller man nodded and asked, "But you need rest, don't you? It seems you didn't get a good night's sleep last night."

"It's because those bunk beds in the train cars are uncomfortable," complained the fifteen-year old grumpily. He sighed. "I know, Fuuko-chan. We should have slept at a hotel but you insisted that it would be faster if we slept on a traveling train."

"Of course it was my idea, but you could at least let me share a bed with you," debated the girl, shooting a serious glance up at him.

"But each bunk bed has room for only one person," her teacher countered.

"Sensei, then you should let me sleep on top of you." The teacher stared at the young but bold student with speechless shock. His bewildered eyes were as big as saucers. She noticed his speechless expression and explained, "You let me hug you on other nights in the hotels, remember?"

"Hugging me tightly to yourself is one thing but to have your body on top of mine is another. That's wrong!" Speaking his words in a stern tone, He leaned his face a few inches closer to Fuuko's.

"Whhhyyyy? Because I'm heavy, aren't I?" pouted Fuuko, looking slightly offended by her own suggestion.

"No. it's that I could feel your body heat.…uh….rather intimately if we were to do that."

She smirked. "What do you mean? You're afraid of getting hot and sweaty if I get to sleep on your chest, aren't you?"

Hibiki wasn't sure how to respond to his student's question. '_She is quite a lot weirder than she was last year,'_ He recalled_. 'What happened to the shy, clumsy and timid fourteen-year old girl I knew? Now she's fifteen years old and she has become a lot bolder and more direct, not to mention that she enjoys teasing me as well. Her enthusiasm is really murdering me.' _He shook his head. "If that's what you mean, Fuuko-chan, I suppose so," he finally said.

"But tonight, promise me, sensei, that you'll let me sleep on your chest."

Hibiki's eyes widened once at this girl's brazen demand more than at anything else. He then shook his head, not looking her straight in the eye.

"You've really changed a lot, Fuuko-chan."

"You've said a similar thing already on the other days," giggled Fuuko.

He sighed wearily. "let's go to your aunt's house, then." As the duo started to walk from the station, he asked, "did you call your aunt earlier?"

"Yeah, she's expecting us, sensei."

"Then tell me again, Fuuko-chan, how far is her house from here?"

"About half a kilometer from here,"

"Then, Fuuko-chan, do you mind if we gotta take a walk instead of riding in a cab? We have to save money."

"Of course, I understand," she smiled at him, flashing her puppy eyes at him.

Minutes later, when they arrived at the aunt's house, they were warmly greeted by an attractive, petite woman with long brown hair and ruby eyes, at the doorstep in front of them, Hibiki noted that the older woman appeared to be in early thirties. "Greetings, Fuuko-chan. It is good to see you again," The girl suddenly rushed into her jovial aunt's arms.

"Same to you. I've missed you, Aunt Rei," she greeted back, hugging the older woman tightly. Releasing Fuuko from her hug, the woman looked straight at Hibiki. "You must be Amawa Hibiki-sensei, whom Fuuko-chan has told me about."

"Er….yes, ma'am," he said softly.

"My name is Hattori Rei, the younger sister of Fuuko-chan's mother. Nice to meet you, Amawa-sensei."

"Pleasure is all mine, Hattori-san."

"Please call me Rei," she chuckled. "No need for formalities. Any boyfriend of Fuuko-chan is my friend as well."

"Wait a minute…I am her teacher, not her boyfriend," he protested aggravatedly as his cheeks reddened.

"I know, sensei. She told me, you aren't officially a couple," the amused woman giggled at his crimson blushing cheeks. Hibiki sighed in exasperation.

She informed him with a broad smile. "From now on, call me Rei."

"Certainly, Rei-san. And then please call me Hibiki,"

"Agreed, Hibiki-sensei." Rei glanced back and forth from Hibiki to Fuuko. "Both of you, come inside."

As the hostess showed them the way around to the living room inside her house, she asked, "Hibiki-sensei, Fuuko-chan told me you re searching for new teachers to recruit, aren't you?"

"Yes, we are currently doing so, Rei-san," he confirmed passively. "Well, do you know of any schools in this town?"

"Yes, there are a very few schools, because it is a very small town."

Fuuko inquired. "Aunt, you've lived here for five years. Has Tomoeda been to your liking?"

"Yes, in spite of all these weird occurrences, Tomoeda is quite a nice and hospitable town."

"Weird occurrences?"

"Yes, I don't know what kinds of things exactly happened around here. Neither does anyone else. For example, the statue of the giant penguin in the park has been flipped upside down. In another case, a lot of elementary schoolers claimed they saw a ghost while walking through the forest . And a lot of other things I couldn't care to explain anymore. It's still a mystery."

Hibiki noticed sweat drops on Fuuko's forehead. "Did you say 'ghosts'?", gulped the younger woman.

"That is what they said." Startled by Rei's little speech, Fuuko shut her eyes, covered her ears, bristled and cried like a frightened kitten.

"You still scared of ghosts?" Hibiki asked, giving her a slight smile.

"O-of course. They….they give me shivers." came her shaky response.

"Now I know one part of you haven't changed at all," remarked the chuckling teacher. He remembered that the kid had been so scared of ghosts that she would rather be peeked at by a man than a ghost. 'Of course, Fuuko-chan thought the intruder that had been peeping at her was a ghost' Hibiki recalled. But later both he and Fuuko learned the culprits were Toufukouji and Morikouji all along.

She was red with embarrassment, while scolding him. "Please don't laugh at me, sensei."

She fixed her irritable teacher with an irritated look.

"But Hibiki-sensei is right, Fuuko-chan," laughed Rei. "You say you have grown up but you're still scared of ghosts."

Looking at her niece, Rei then reassured her, "Don't worry about it. They were just gossips and rumors."

"O-o-okay, aunt."

"By the way, Rei-san, can you tell us where the schools are?" asked Hibiki.

"Is it fine that I guide you to them?" she suggested.

"Sounds okay for me."

"And for me, too," Fuuko added with a wide grin, recovering from her shock .

"By the way, Have you got the rooms ready for us?" the teacher asked.

"Rooms? Who told you to live in more than one room? "

"Two rooms, each for one of us," he replied. Then he suddenly saw a smirk forming on the woman's face that worried him.

"Unfortunately, we have only three rooms. Two of them are occupied by me and my daughter. That leaves the third one to you two."

"A room for us to sleep together alone?" uttered a bewildered Hibiki, whose dropped jaw was stretched so wide it hit the floor with a loud CLUNK. He stared at her as if she had grown another head. "Sensei, you've made a jaw-breaking record," mused Rei, who delighted in seeing his jaw dropping to the ground.

"For real?" exclaimed the girl.

"Yup, Fuuko-chan." Rei smiled at her niece and gave her a congratulatory wink at her as well. "It can't be helped, since my daughter and I are using the other two rooms all by ourselves."

"In that case, why can't you let Fuuko-chan sleep in your daughter's room?"

"My daughter is still just 9 years old and usually snores as loudly as a drunken elephant when she is sleeping. As a hospitable hostess, I don't want her to bother her cousin Fuuko while sleeping together."

"And can't you let her sleep in your room?" he asked Rei further.

"With her uncle? I don't think my husband would let her sleep with us while we both still need our…uh…privacy." Hibiki realized that this couple were still having lovemaking sessions night after night, even though she was in early thirties. Fuuko nodded and he wondered whether his student understood her aunt's vague explanation. He was startled by the eager girl's inquiry directed at him. She begged vigorously, "Sensei, please accept aunt's offer!"

"Well, I don't know," he admitted. He turned to Rei with a bewildered look. "Would you trust your fifteen-year old niece to sleep with an older man?"

"No, but she assured me you would never do anything to hurt her. I believe in my favorite niece and trust her judgment." Hibiki narrowed his eyes at the strange aunt but offered no contest to her decision. "Any objections?" she queried him. He shook his head slightly. "Then it's settled," declared Rei judiciously.

"By the way, when are Uncle Yoshio and Cousin Shiho coming home?" asked Fuuko.

"Oh, Uncle Yoshio will be coming home late from work, so it's probably ten o'clock or so but Shiho is coming home this afternoon."

"Can't wait to see her. I haven't seen her since last year,"

"Fuuko-chan, you haven't visited here last year, either." laughed Rei.

"Um, excuse me, Hatto--" Hibiki almost blurted her last name but quickly changed his sentence. "--I mean Rei-san, but can you please show us the local schools?"

"Certainly, but first we put your luggage in the guest room. In the meantime, please take a look inside the guest room, unpack your luggage and wait while I change my attire."

Both the teacher and student agreed to her advice.

In the meantime, the visitors unpacked their luggage while their host was preparing to get dressed. Noticing Fuuko pull out and tidy her lingerie, especially bras and panties in front of him, '_At this rate, I'll go crazy if she keeps doing things like that,' _Hibiki thought. He then complained with a heavy sigh, "It's okay to display your underwear in front of another girl but you should hide it from a man's eyes."

Fuuko shot him a dry glance. "So? You wore lingerie before, so why can't you get used to it?"

"That was my lingerie, not yours." pointed Hibiki.

"But you were a woman, weren't you?"

"Now I'm being my real self. I'm still a man and also a teacher, dammit."

"Yeah, sensei, but you are part of my life." Hibiki rolled his eyes but somehow felt a surge of pride creeping into his heart as well as his cheeks flustering while hearing Fuuko's words. In other words, he realized that he felt more honored than irritated, considering that he was her teacher after all. Fuuko smiled at him, noticing the blush on his face when she said those words.

"All right, but don't put them like they're on display. Just please keep your lingerie in the drawers."

"Sure. I wouldn't want to offend our hosts," she smiled as she just started to stuff her underwear in the cabinet drawers, much to Hibiki's relief. But his relief changed to surprise as he saw that Fuuko pull his underwear out of the baggage. "What are you doing?" he demanded. She didn't respond but instead put his underwear inside the drawer along with hers. The shocked teacher's eyes became as wide as saucers at his student's action. He stuttered trying to protest. "W-w-w-wait a second. You…..you cannot seriously mix your own underwear and mine in the same drawer."

Fuuko pouted her lips and shot him a look of mock offense. "What's the problem?"

They were interrupted when both guests heard the sound of the door creaking open. Both persons looked to the door and saw a smiling Rei dressed in a formal attire, consisting of a white blouse, black mini-skirt and blue jacket. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Fuuko-chan, Hibiki-sensei."

"Not at all," said Hibiki and Fuuko aloud at the same time. Rei smiled back warmly. "Then shall we go now?" Her guests nodded and obliged. By the time the trio was already outside the house, they heard a familiar cellphone ringing come from Fuuko's pocket.

"Excuse me." the fifteen-year old sighed. "It must be from Fujio," She saw a puzzled look on her aunt's face and added "One of my friends", in order to create less confusion for Rei. Then she turned around, pressing the phone to her ear. "Hey, is that you Fujio?"

"Yup, Fuuko-chan, it's me. How's the volunteer search going?" came from Fujio's familiar voice.

"Not so good, Fujio-chan," she answered. "What about you? How are you and others? What's new?"

"Now that you have asked it, speaking of news, do you know Miho-chan has officially gone out with Aoki-kun recently?"

"Seriously? I always had the impression that Miho prefers, ah, 'sophisticated' guys and Aoki-kun never strikes me as sophisticated. Besides he likes older women," laughed Fuuko.

"I guess neither Miho-chan nor Aoki-kun has got what they wanted, so they ended up with each other," said the other girl. "If you can't get the best thing, you can at least get the one that's most available for you, even though that one doesn't live up to your expectations."

Fuuko laughed again, "So true."

"Speaking of which, Fuuko-chan, tell me, Is sensei the best thing you're going after?"

Fuuko smiled and closed her eyes, still cradling the phone to her ear. "That depends on his gender. The female Hibiki-sensei was the best thing I'm chasing after and the male Hibiki-sensei was the second best thing," she noticed the baffled teacher stare at her with a weird look. The fifteen-year old girl turned around again to avoid his gaze. "Hey what about Shyoichi-kun? Last I heard he was still chasing Seiko-chan."

"The way things are going, I suppose Shyoichi has much better luck trying to win a dog's heart," Fujio giggled. "What a loser."

"Poor Shyoichi," Fuuko agreed. "What about the vice-principal? Yesterday, you've told me that she's still recently bothering the students about our whereabouts."

"Yeah, but she had to stop her interrogations after we reported to the principal." Without waiting for Fuuko to respond, she continued, "I don't know what changed the principal's mind but I don't care as long as she's on our side. "

She sighed curiously. "Maybe but I wonder it sometimes and it rather bugs me."

"So how are things going with you and sensei?" Fujio inquired Fuuko softly. The short-haired girl considered quietly and reminisced herself. After persuasive talks via cell phone over several nights during Fuuko's journey, she had gradually admitted to her friends that she loves Hibiki-sensei but her advances weren't getting to him. She also assured them she was still in high spirits as long as she was with him.

"Still the same as ever," Fuuko admitted softly.

"I thought so. Looks like Shyoichi would take solace in not being the only person who doesn't have a significant other in their life."

"Hey, Fujio-chan, you're so mean!" she giggled aloud rather than cried, laughing at Shyoichi and feeling sorry for him at the same time. "Yeah, that was mean of me," agreed Fujio.

Glancing at the anxious-looking Hibiki and a patient Rei, Fuuko said, "Hey, I've got to go now for a tour with sensei and auntie. Bye-bye."

"Ok, hear you later," replied the other girl. Then Fuuko deposited the cellphone inside her pocket again. "Let's go," she announced to her companions.

An half-hour later, they arrived at Tomoeda Elementary School on Rei's recommendation. "This is Tomoeda Elementary, huh?" quizzed Hibiki, staring back and forth at the building and at Rei.

Rei nodded. "Hibiki-kun, do you want to go ahead and recruit those male teachers there?"

He replied. "Well, seeing how things were hopeless since we've started our mission, we've got nothing to lose except our time." The two female companions just smiled and started to walk ahead, Fuuko grabbing her teacher's right hand.

At Seito Sannomiya Academy

When the mathematics class was over, Fujio, leaning against a chair, sighed, "I wonder how they are doing with their mission right now."

Standing from her desk, Miho looked at her with a small smile. "You mean Fuuko-chan and sensei?" Seiko stared at Fujio, too.

Getting up from her desk, too, she replied without looking back at Miho and Seiko, "Yeah, I meant them." She had contacted Fuuko about a few minutes before the mathematics class started and also shared the conversation with Fuuko to her classmates.

Remaining here, Akira, Aoki , Shyoichi were standing and looking at their female classmates. Aoki said, "Do you girls think they'll manage to accomplish it when they have nothing to offer to the male teachers except jobs with low salaries?"

"I wouldn't know for sure," Miho said. "But I hope they will succeed."

"As do we," agreed Akira. "After all sensei's job depends on the success of his mission."

Fujio noticed the genuinely sincere tone in her boyfriend's voice when he said that. '_This is the same guy who had a crush on Fuuko-chan, isn't it. But of course he knew it would not work for either of them since Fuuko-chan likes sensei, so he accepted it, didn't he?'_ She knew Akira certainly did give up on his crush. After all, he drove on a bike as fast as possible with Fuuko on it, trying to catch a speeding train, all to let Fuuko see the teacher for one last time.

Miho sighed.. "Anyway, I also hope Hibiki-sensei brings some cute male teachers to the school."

Looking shocked, Aoki stared at the redhead . "Hey, you still have me. You're not going to dump me, are you?"

"I was half- kidding," she giggled.

"What is that supposed to mean, Miho-chan?" he demanded.

"It means I am half-serious. Don't worry, Aoki-kun, I still like you and you're still my boyfriend," assured Miho. "But honestly, I think that if any male teachers are like Hibiki-sensei, they'd make school an interesting place as he did, anyway."

"Miho-chan might be….no, **is** right," Seiko added. "After all, Hibiki-sensei proved that men can be good teachers." Her fellow classmates, one by one, nodded unanimously.

"Provided that he has found the required 10 volunteers," reminded Shyoichi. "I mean, what kind of teacher would want to work for 50,000 yen a month? The principal sure is very demanding."

"A teacher who would teach us, not for money but for our betterment," answered Akira.

The other kids stared at him. As he noticed their expressions of confusion, he explained, looking away, "Well, a good male teacher is one who believes teaching is its own reward and sees it as more than a mere job. He sees it as a duty of some sort. Also, a teacher would have to be thoughtful in order to understand us kids." He looked them again straight in the eye and they looked all sort of amused with his answer but each of them also gave him a serious face and approving nod as a sign of their agreement.

"Well said", lauded Miho.

"Well, I was really hoping or a female teacher but as long as they are as good as Hibiki-sensei, I'm okay with it," lamented Aoki

Shyoichi added, "Me, too but only if none of them are too good-looking."

Aoki agreed, "That's right, I hope sensei doesn't recruit good-looking men,"

Miho responded with a wry laugh, "Actually, I am hoping he would bring nice-looking male teachers to this school,"

"Miho-chan," whimpered Aoki, staring at his own girlfriend.

Seiko joined in, "I am with you, Miho-chan, however I am hoping that he recruits male teachers for their gentlemanly manners and likable personalities, not just their looks." Uttering her last syllable, she cupped her own cheeks in her hands, blushed slightly crimson and her eyes formed into slits.

Turning away from his classmates, Shyoichi clasped his hands in front of a window and whispered with some tears, "Hibiki-sensei, please don't bring us boys some competition. Please, sensei!" Miho and Fujio laughed quietly at his pathetic prayer. Seiko and Akira pitied him. Only Aoki consoled him, for he mutually shared his friend's fears. "I know how you feel, Shyoichi-kun. I'm joining you." He stopped then and looked at his very unconcerned classmate over his shoulder on the left, "Hey, Akira-kun, why aren't you joining us? Do you wanna lose your girlfriend to a handsome older man?"

"Doesn't matter. I don't care," came his callous response.

"Just like you didn't care that you lost Fuuko to him?" Aoki didn't need to tell his friend about the name. Just the words "Lost Fuuko to" in connection with the masculine pronoun had sent a clear enough message to the enraged Akira.

"Aoki-kun, that is unca--" Fujio began to scold, then stopped in shock, as her boyfriend suddenly grabbed the surprised speaker's tie and raised a fist.

"Shut up," the rash youth yelled. "Akira!" cried Fujio with panic in her voice, jumping to grab his shoulders. Fortunately, he snapped out of his trance and looked back and forth at each equally shocked classmate surrounding him. "Sorry," he said, placing a hand on his own forehead and closing his eyes. They weren't sure whether he was addressing just Aoki or the whole group here.

Recovering slowly, he stared the latter sternly in the eye. Aoki looked nervously. Neither spoke a word. Nor did the others. Then Akira warned. "Don't rub this on me ever again."

"Akira-kun," blurted Fujio. Not looking at her, he responded, "Please leave me alone. I'm not feeling well,"

Then he left the classroom quietly. The last thing he heard from the classroom before walking out of his hearing range was Miho's words in a concerned tone, "Akira-kun still has feelings for Fuuko."

He shook his head and thought bitterly at their lack of understanding. 'They don't get it, do they? They don't understand that I'm really perfect with sensei and Kuzuha as a couple. I could not think of a better pair than them. But what upsets me is that falling in love with her was the worst mistake of my life. To think that I could fall in love with someone and never could win her heart…..'

Akira silently relived his past memories of his rigorous martial arts training, school studies, and numerous fights. '_Since I was a child, trained feverishly in martial arts and focused with my studies, I really hate losing. I hate it very much. I had lots of fights since elementary school, though I rarely picked a fight with anyone at this school because there are very few bullies here and it's not my style to pick on someone weaker than me. Also, I had studied so diligently that I've become an A+ student and on top of that, I'm on top of my class.'_ Then he felt a surge of anger burn in his heart. '_Sure I've lost a few fights, but I never liked to lose any kind of fight especially in the romance area, because I picked the wrong girl to fall in love with. On top of that, I gradually knew I was never the right guy for her.'_

He calmed down and shed a couple of tears, '_And I don't think Kuzuha was the right girl for me, either."_ His classmates may think he was angry at sensei but he consciously felt no malice for Hibiki. The one he hated was himself. He hated himself for picking the wrong girl and losing her to another man who gave her so more love than him. He also blamed it on his own hesitation and cursed himself for confessing his feelings too late. '_For not admitting my true feelings in front of Kuzuha, I am really unworthy of her love. Maybe I deserve her rejection. Maybe a broken heart is all I deserve.'_

He was so absorbed in his own self-pity. clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, being unaware of his own surroundings. Clearing his mind, he realized what was right and wrong in the picture., 'Even if I confessed to Kuzuha and won her heart before sensei came to school, I would still lose her to him because he loves her more than I do.'

He slowly remembered Hibiki's actions such as helping Fuuko-chan complete her first 50-meter dash, accompanying her to her mother's grave, rescuing her from the fire that injured him and brought to the hospital which eventually led the exposure of his true identity by the vice-principal. '_He helped her when I didn't. He stood by her side while I did not. He protected her while I could not. He supported her while I didn't. When Kuzuha was the only one who did all the volunteer work and wore bloomers while the other girls refused to wear bloomers, he inspired the other classmates to stand by her side while I did nothing to help her nor even to scold other lazy classmates on her behalf.'_

Akira stared up blankly and leaned against a wall, '_I could have supported Kuzuha all the time but I didn't. I was very self-centered and never bothered to notice she needed help and support, let alone helped her. The reason I lost Kuzuha was not because of the man who taught her better than I could do, but rather because of my lack of genuine love for her. If I truly loved Kuzuha, I should have helped her and stood by her all the time when she needed it. Unlike me, Hibiki-sensei didn't tell Kuzuha he loves her. He showed her that he loves her, by teaching, protecting and supporting her all the time.' _He finally realized that he just wanted her but not loved her.

He stood up firmly and thought grimly. '_I'm a sore loser in the area of romance and I deserve it. Well, there is so much I need to learn. I really need more training in love. Maybe I could learn Hibiki-sensei's style and show my girlfriend Fujio the same kind of love instead of telling her. This time, I won't lose another fight of love because of my inexperience.' _Akira Fukae started to walk away with new confidence.

Author's note: To Akira x Fuuko fans, I keep reading that everyone says "Akira x Fuuko is better." But I honestly think it seems like that only because of their similar ages and Akira's confession. If they're going to be a couple, then you need a good reason to explain why. Sorry to burst your bubble, but this story tells you what you haven't realized in those episodes. A simple confession doesn't show your true feelings to your crush. In real life, many people have confessed their feelings to their lovers but they didn't love them as much as they tell them. You simply make a confession in order to get a girlfriend/boyfriend. But to prove your love for someone, you need to do a lot more than just telling them you love them.


End file.
